I’m a man of 58 yrs who was diagnosed with RA about 8 yrs ago after a SLE Lupus diagoses. I also have Sjogrens. Multiple autoimmune diseases are, unfortunately, not uncommon. I also have many associated diseases, syndomes and of course the challenges we all share in mobility as mine has declined greatly of the past 3 yrs. I am resisting a wheelchair, yet chances are that is the destination. I am drug resistant or sensitive to being allergic with horrible side-effects. Nothing to date has worked and my life was threated twice due to allergic reactions. I have a tendency toward Vasculitis and the autoimmune diseases (which one? Who knows… they ‘think’ more the Lupus, but it could be any of them or a combination. No one really knows.

I so appreciate your piece because “Men Get Lupus Too.” I have a passion to advocate and do so every day for both men and women. We are, indeed, in this together. The separation of our genders hurts us. I strongly believe that there needs to be an substantial increase in the research for men and substantially increased research with for both genders together in all aspects of RA, et al.

I continue to learn so much from the research for women and have applied so much of this knowledge, coping skills and much more that have improved my life to one degree or another. I believe that women can learn equally from men. Coming together as One United Voice in the fight for increased funding that will improve and multiple the much needed research so we may find a cure(s) for RA and other auotimmune diseases must be our mission, always. Gender ought not to even be a part of our consciousness.

As you pointed out, men’s socialization into our culture is extremely different than women. I will not go through all the differences as I believe that women fully recognize them for better or for worse. This dysfunctional socialization does a great harm to men as we are not to be weak on any level. This causes us all and I was one of them to be extremely hesitant to go to physicians in the first place. It is my contention that the statistics that seem so diverse between men and women who have RA, Lupus, MS, Sjogrens and the 100+ other autoimmune diseases known to date, would prove to be far closer than we believe, IF men’s awareness that it is essential for men to gain the healthcare that they need as soon as they begin to have symptoms. As we know, it is imparitive that more people, whatever their gender be diagnosed and treated as early as possible to insure a better and longer quality of lives, as well as to save our lives.

I hope that more women will become more inclusive of men as to whom to we learn from the most during our lifetime? The answer is women and that means the majority of you. Please join me in welcoming your RA Brothers and help us to elevate the necessity of awareness and knowledge that “Men Have RA Too!”

Bless You for the opportunity to share my thoughts and feelings. I am eagerly awaiting more and more of my women friends to join this inclusive part of RA Soldiers who respect and honour one another’s diseases process throughout the world. We need One another to complete our mission in mutual support and finding a cure in our lifetime and for the generations to come!!

Will you fight with us? We will greatly appreciate the Grace and Love that it takes to do so.

Blessings to you,

Anthony

Find a doc, or the emergency room, to prescribe a healthy dose painkiller TODAY until you can see a rheumy. It makes the difference between wanting to die from pain, and making it to the other side. You can find me on the facebook page and message me if you need an ear.